NBIA's 22nd International Conference on Business Incubation

Silent Auction

As a result of the generosity of those who participated in the auction in St. Louis, five NBIA members received $500 scholarships to attend the 2007 conference in Seattle. Proceeds from the auction in Seattle will provide scholarships for up to 10 first-time attendees, whose organizations have not had the resources to send them to NBIA’s International Conference in the past, to attend this year’s conference in San Antonio.

You don’t have to be a bidder to participate in the auction; you also can donate an item – or items – for bidding. You could, for example, assemble a basket of products and services from your incubator clients and graduates. What a great way to show your colleagues all the great things happening at your incubator!

Not an incubator? Consulting services, gift cards to national stores or restaurants, or arts and crafts from your region are all great ideas, too – and a perfect way to introduce yourself and your organization to the 600+ attendees at the conference.

NBIA will recognize donors in the conference materials, at the Silent Auction table and through conference signage.

Get a sneak peek at all the bargains and put in an early bid on your way to the Opening Reception and Expo! The NBIA Silent Auction will kick off on Sunday, May 4. You can bid on items until the posted close-out time for that item. There will be several close-out times throughout the conference, with the final items closing out on Tuesday afternoon.

Donation Guidelines

The Silent Auction will be held during NBIA’s 22nd International Conference on Business Incubation, May 4 – 7, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.
To donate an item, complete the donation registration form.
Please submit your donation registration forms by April 15, 2008.
Donated gift certificates must be valid through Dec. 31, 2008.
Donated industry marketing products or services should be available
June 1 – Dec. 31, 2008.
Clearly list any restrictions, such as expiration dates and blackout dates, on the donor registration form.
All donated items must have a minimum retail value of US$25.
Please assign a “value” (approximate retail value) to the donation on the registration form and include a 25- to 50-word description of the product/service.

Donation Suggestions

Donations could include, but are not limited to:

Incubator client products and services
Incubator graduate products and services
Gift baskets
Art
Books
Handcrafted originals
A vacation home/condo stay
Airline miles or other award points
Items native to your region
Sports memorabilia
Trade publication display advertising
Research or management support services
Professional industry association memberships
Industry trade show booth and registration fees
Public relations services or editorial coverage
Industry support services, such as software
Consulting service packages

Set Up and Shipping Guidelines

Set Up

Sunday, May 4, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Auction Hours

Sunday, May 4, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday, May 5, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6, 7:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Pick-up and Payment

Winning bidders may pay and pick up items anytime after the item’s close-out time, but no later than 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 7.

Auction Location

NBIA exhibit area, Grand Hyatt Hotel, San Antonio, Texas.

Item(s) may be brought personally to the Grand Hyatt Hotel and dropped off at NBIA Information Central (near conference registration) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.
Item(s) may be shipped directly to the Grand Hyatt Hotel. (Please contact the NBIA membership department for additional information regarding shipment.)
If you have brochures or literature describing companies or artists involved in production of an item, please bring or send it for display.
Items requiring assembly must be assembled on-site by the donor. If special assistance is required from NBIA, please indicate this on the donation registration form.

Tax Information

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization. NBIA is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with the information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies.

All contributions to the association are tax-deductible. Because of the complexity of rules concerning charitable contributions, we suggest that you consult a tax advisor or trained agent to determine the actual deductible amount of your donation.

If you have any questions about the Silent Auction, contact Leah Nairn, NBIA membership manager, at lnairn@nbia.org or (740) 593-4331.

Package Handling/Deliveries

The Hotel’s receiving entrance is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Advance arrangements must be made through the Catering Office for weekend deliveries. All silent auctions items will be shipped 3 days (or less) in advance of the meeting. Hotel will have arrangements in place to meet any Federal Express Priority First mailings.

The Hotel will only accept pre-paid packages. The Hotel will refuse any packages delivered C.O.D. and the Hotel will not make notification to the shipper.

All packages must contain a label giving the following minimum information

Hold for Arrival – ATTN: Guest’s Name, Organization Name, Arrival Date
Number of Boxes (Example: Box 1 of 2)
Address as follows:

ATTN: Convention Services
Grand Hyatt San Antonio
600 East Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
Complete Return Address

The Grand Hyatt San Antonio shall not be liable for safe or timely arrival of any packages sent to the Hotel by or for the Group. It is the Group’s responsibility to check on the arrival of any packages and to check the contents are intact. Furthermore, the Hotel accepts no liability for lost, stolen or damaged goods